UTEP could have seven players making their first-ever starts tonight and six of those are on offense.

They are quarterback Nick Lamaison, guard Paul Santillan, tackles Brander Craighead and James Martin, receivers Mike Edwards and either Russell Carr or Julio Lopez, and linebacker James Fely.

The junior college transfers Lamaison, Edwards, Martin and Fely are making their UTEP debuts.

UTEP's offensive line has six combined starts at the Division I level with four of those coming from captain and center Eloy Atkinson. Still, the only player in the group new to the program is the right tackle Martin. Coach Mike Price has faith in them.

"Paul Santillan and Nathan McCage have been real troopers in the program," Price said. "I feel good about our first five."

Slow starts

Stony Brook has enjoyed a good run of success in conference play, going 5-1 in Big South play each of the past two years. The Seawolves finished 6-5 each year, meaning they went 1-4 in non-league play in 2009 and '10.

"Certainly our Septembers have not been up to what are expectations are," coach Bob Priore said. "Our goal is to be consistent throughout the year, starting in the offseason through spring football."

About Stony Brook

With 24,594 students, Stony Brook has a larger enrollment than UTEP (22,106). ... Famous Stony Brook alums include Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Nathan, The View co-host Joy Behar, acting Surgeon General of the United States Steven K.

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Galson, Unabomber victim David Gelernter (he survived the attack and is a professor at Yale), America's first female astronaut Patricia Cowings, developer of the Macintosh for Apple and president of Stanford University John L. Hennessy. ... Faculty member Jorge Benach is the co-discoverer of Lyme Disease.

About the Seawolf

When Stony Brook ascended to Division I athletics in 1994, they changed their nickname from the Patriots to the Seawolves. The Seawolf is a mythical creature from the Tlingit tribe which brought good luck to those able to see it.

History

This is the first-ever meeting between the schools and with a distance of 1,951 miles between the campuses, Stony Brook is the mainland school farthest from El Paso that the Miners have ever played.

UTEP is 40-48-5 in openers and 31-17-3 in home openers. This is the first time the Miners have opened with a home game in three consecutive years since a seven-season run from 1986-92.

Stony Brook last won a season opener on the road in 1995 when it beat Pace.

Connection

New York native Kevin Gilligan was on the UTEP roster in 1984 and on the Stony Brook roster in 1986.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359.